Today’s Reading: Jonah & Amos

God used many prophets during the reign of kings over Israel and Judah, sending some of his prophets even to the enemy nations to preach repentance. Some prophets went willingly and some struggled to reflect God’s mercy toward sinners. One of those struggling prophets was Jonah. He tried to run away from what God was calling him to do but, while he was running, God was intervening.

WE DON’T GET TO OUTRUN GOD.

God stood between Jonah and Jonah’s alternative plan. He got his attention — not in a quiet whisper but with a violent storm. After trying everything else, the crew on the ship threw Jonah overboard at his suggestion, for they knew Jonah was running from the Lord. God had a plan, God intervened in Jonah’s life, and now God had a way to get Jonah back on track.

Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights. – Jonah 1:17

Jonah recognized God’s intervention and prayed from inside the belly of the fish. Jonah was still not where he wanted to be and still not in a comfortable place in life, yet he knew God was at work and thanked Him for hearing his cry for help. Jonah headed directly to Nineveh and began preaching a message of judgment, telling the people that Nineveh would be destroyed in forty days (Jonah 3:4b).

God did not send Jonah to Nineveh with a message of mercy and acceptance regardless of their sin. No, he sent them with a warning of the judgment that was to come because of their sin and violence. The Lord did not soften His stance or redefine righteousness in order to draw sinners to Himself, so why do we? We don’t get to redefine God’s mercy. In doing so, we are robbing sinners from the joy they can experience when they break free from the strongholds of sin.

The people, including their king, started fasting and putting on burlap to show how sorry they were for their sins. God changed the plan on Jonah. He forgave the people of Nineveh and chose to not destroy the city. Instead of rejoicing in the salvation of a nation, Jonah voiced his disappointment in God’s mercy.

WE DON’T GET TO PLAY THE VICTIM.

It is so easy to be fatigued by the sin of this world. Our frustrations with the words and actions of unbelievers cause our hearts to harden towards them, and we forget that we were once sinners in need of a Savior. But while we are feeling sorry for ourselves, God’s heart is responding to the lost. What a great reminder that God loves the lost — He cares about those who have bought into the world’s lies.

Not only did God use the prophets to draw people out of their sin and back to Him, he used anyone with a willing and obedient heart. Amos was one of those men. Amos did not consider himself a prophet; he was simply a shepherd with a heart open to do what God asked him to do, even if he felt unqualified. What a contrast to how Jonah initially responded to God!

The time had come for God to punish His people. He had warned them over and over again; the Lord had forgiven generation after generation. The heart of God was revealed even in this declaration of the coming destruction, for God had displayed His grace time and time again. He had patiently waited for His people to stop sinning and turn their adulterous hearts back to their Creator, but they refused.

YOU DON’T GET TO CLAIM IGNORANCE.

The behavior of God’s people could be narrowed down to three words – arrogance, selfishness, and pretense. They put their own selfish desires for luxury before the needs of others around them. They were abusive and oppressive to those who had less than they did – the weak, the needy, and the poor. They ignored the needs of others and filled their hunger for earthly possessions. Because of this, God’s judgment was going to fall HARD on these people.

This should be of significance for those of us who have been blessed with so much. God was clear in Amos’ prophecies that He was done with the arrogance of a nation who felt they were better than others. He was going to punish this selfish generation who put their own needs ahead of the needs of others. He was bringing judgment on those who continued to go through the motions of worship and the rituals of sacrifice but who were not living a lifestyle of sacrifice and worship.

“I brought hunger…but still you would not return to me…
I kept rain from falling when your crops needed it the most…but still you would not return to me…
I struck your farms and vineyards…but still you would not return to me…
I sent plagues…but still you would not return to me…
I destroyed some of your cities…but still you would not return to me…
THEREFORE I will bring upon you all the disasters I have announced.
Prepare to meet your God in judgment, you people of Israel!” – Amos 4:6-12

YOU DON’T GET TO CLAIM PRIVILEGE.

When God points out our sin, we need to humbly respond in repentance. When He reveals sin in our attitudes, we need to cry out for forgiveness. When God calls us to do something for Him, even hard and unpleasant things, we need to surrender our plans to the Lord. Let go of the struggle and allow God to write the remainder of your story. Like Jonah,allow God to use your story for His glory — to use your voice in the lives of others. Like Amos, be willing to do His work, even when we don’t feel qualified.

Lord, forgive us for our moments of arrogance when we think too much of ourselves and too little of others. Forgive us for living comfortably with all you have blessed us with while others around us are in need. Forgive us for our attitudes of privilege and expectations of rewards because of a decision we made a long time ago. Open our eyes and call us out of our own agendas for today. We desire to respond to your call on our lives and do whatever you are asking us to do. Thank you for being a God who loves us enough to draw us to yourself. Thank you for both your love and your justice. Amen.